A fire described as “explosive” destroyed three residential buildings at Lierstranda near Dramman during the weekend, killing two occupants, injuring another and threatening a couple with a newborn baby.
Maria Sætervik Johansen, who gave birth to a baby boy last Monday, told her partner she noticed “strange light” while up in the middle of the night on Saturday with her newborn son. “When I went to open the front door, flames just sprang right at me,” Ardian Fandaj told state broadcaster NRK after the couple and newborn survived a dramatic escape.
They lived on the first floor of a duplex located next to the house that first caught fire. He warned the couple living on the top floor of their own building, and they also escaped. The fire spread to another wooden house in the neighbourhood as well, and a total of 40 people in nine houses were evacuated.
Two of the four residents in the first house that burned were killed, while two others were injured after having to jump from second-story windows. Police are investigating the cause of the fire.
Another fire in an apartment house in Tromsø also left six people suffering from smoke inhalation during the weekend. A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of arson.
A fire in Oslo’s Frogner district also forced evacuations Sunday evening in one of the Skillebekk area’s buildings from late 1800s. The fire severely damaged two units and 20 residents were evacuated, but no injuries were reported.
newsinenglish.no staff
